For

Against

A minimal storyline suggests this game is for one thing, and one thing only - carving your way through the action.

Based around your average Japanese demon story, you play Raikoh a ninja styled dude, freeing trapped demons within each level you play.

The interface and the game play is very Japanese in its styling - Sega haven't even taken out the Japanese characters in the menu screens and the game play comes from the same school of thought.

Whether it's performing 18 hit combos or using your ninja styled actions to swoon through the air this comes across as a ballet rather than your average swash-buckling sword adventure.

Added to your numerous moves (which are all fairly simple to master) is the ability to perform magic. The magic, which is divided into four different sets, can keep you out of trouble in moments of need. Magic however comes at a price and this all-important power is what is also keeping you alive. Use too much and you won't last long. Magic levels can be replenished by killing the bad guys (a la Blood Omen) and this helps bring an interesting angle to the game play. i.e. if you kill all but one of the bad guys and then take ages roaming around the level trying to find the last one you are likely to die before you find him.

Verdict

Due to the lack of any real storyline and 29 levels this game does suffer from repetitive action with no focus. That said if you are looking for that in a game this Couching tiger, Hidden Dragon-styled action should happily give you your samurai fix.